What is Winstrol Exactly? (Now for the science bit)

A steroid is a molecule that controls processes in your body, usually how easily things can move from cell to cell.

An androgen is a hormone which controls the male characteristics of humans and animals – testosterone is an androgen.

The anabolic part means that it builds molecules. Androgenic hormone molecules connect to androgenic receptors in order to stimulate the building of proteins in cells, and to send signals to hair follicles, and so on.

It’s available in two forms, injections or tablets. Studies suggest that there isn’t much of a difference between the two forms.

Winstrol, Testosterone and DHT

Testosterone and Winstrol are very similar; they’re both AAS, they’re also both metabolised in the liver, they each connect to the same receptors.

In fact, Winstrol’s effectively the grandson of testosterone.

Winstrol is derived from DHT. DHT is synthesised in your body from testosterone and is much more effective at connecting to androgen receptors than testosterone.

It’s also responsible for body hair growth and male pattern baldness. Winstrol doesn’t easily activate those parts of the receptors, and so is considered to be much more anabolic than androgenic. Also, because it’s derived from DHT, it can’t be converted into estrogen.

Winstrol also binds to SHBG, an enzyme which usually binds to testosterone and other steroids to stop them from working. The lower the SHBG, the more effective steroids can be.

Well, that’s the science explained…

Winstrol Benefits?

Winstrol is used in medicine and is one of the few AAS approved by the FDA. It’s used to treat muscle wasting, some types of breast cancer, and broken bones.

As a mild steroid, Winstrol is deemed relatively safe for men and women.

Most artificial steroids are unable to survive the acids in your stomach on their way to your liver and have to be taken by injection. Winstrol molecules are sturdy enough that this isn’t a problem, and so they can be taken in tablet form.

Because Winstrol lowers SHBG in your body, other natural and synthetic anabolic steroids can work more effectively.

Winstrol hardens the muscles as it builds protein in your body. It also lowers water retention.

Winstrol inhibits your body’s ability to expel Nitrogen. This is beneficial to muscle development, as nitrogen is one of the building blocks of protein.

However, having too much nitrogen in the blood is toxic, so it’s good to be aware of your nitrogen levels.

What does Winstrol do for athletes?

Although Winstrol greatly improves endurance and strength, it doesn’t build much muscle mass. This is the main reason why athletes prefer using Winstrol over other AAS.

Will Winstrol Increase Testosterone?

By acting as a replacement, Winstrol actually reduces the production of testosterone.

Low testosterone levels can bring a number of other issues, so it’s important to look into testosterone replacements when taking Winstrol. After stopping Winstrol, testosterone levels usually rise back to normal over time.

Is Winstrol Dangerous? Winstrol Side Effects

Winstrol inhibits your body’s ability to expel Nitrogen. This is beneficial to muscle development, as nitrogen is one of the building blocks of protein.

However, having too much nitrogen in the blood is toxic, so it’s good to be aware of your nitrogen levels.

Winstrol is quite poisonous to your liver. It can cause reduced liver function and liver damage. The more you have, the greater the risk.

AAS can cause virilization in women. This is when the steroid binds to the androgen receptors and sends messages to hair follicles, resulting in facial hair and other male characteristics.

This is still a possibility with Winstrol, although it’s far less likely than with some other steroids. If this occurs and you stop using Winstrol immediately, it’s likely to be temporary.

Winstrol is bad for your cholesterol. More to the point, it lowers your good cholesterol (HDL) and raises your bad cholesterol (LDL).

Because Winstrol allows you to train harder and longer, you’re more susceptible to joint pain, as can happen if you overdo it at the gym.

Winstrol is usually used in short cycles to minimise the risk of any of these problems.

Using Winstrol

Consult your doctor

Like any medication, Winstrol comes with risks and side effects (as mentioned above). Undertaking any course of a drug should come with an okay from a licensed medical practitioner.

Also, it’s the only way to get hold of Winstrol without breaking the law.

Dosage

Typically, a course of Winstrol has a dosage of 25-50mg per day for men, and 5-10mg per day for women. It’s lower for women to avoid virilization. Some people take more, some take less.

Eat Well, Be Healthy

Before you even start, you should be healthy, with a body-mass index below 15%. As Winstrol has a negative effect on cholesterol levels and can cause joint pain, it’s pretty much essential to have a healthy, low-fat diet. It should include omega-3 fatty acids.

Alcohol is not a good idea, as it puts the liver under a lot of stress, which will already be under attack from the Winstrol.

Some sort of testosterone booster is also recommended to mitigate your body’s natural loss from the Winstrol.

Regular cardiovascular exercise is also necessary to minimise cholesterol problems.

Don’t Overdo It

How long should you use Winstrol for? Some say 6-8 weeks, some say 4-6 weeks. As it’s so toxic to the liver, shorter is probably better. For bulking, it’s usual to leave Winstrol until the end of the cycle. For cutting, the whole cycle tends to last about the same amount of time as the Winstrol course.

Once the course is complete, you should undertake Post Cycle Therapy to restore your body’s hormone levels afterwards. And of course, it’s recommended to leave it for a few months before taking another AAS.

Is Winstrol Legal?

So really, unless your doctor is willing to sign you off on a course of Winstrol, or you’re willing to take the risk and buy it on the black market (and dark web drug dealing is outside the scope of this article), it’s really out of the question.

Alternatives to Winstrol?

Of course, Winstrol was invented in the 1950s, and quite a lot has happened scientifically in the intervening sixty years or so. While Winstrol and other steroids are legally controlled, there has been a huge increase in the number and variety of non-steroidal supplements.

Some of the more well-known of these are shown below. They mostly contain natural ingredients, but it’s still a good idea to consult your doctor before using any of them.

It’s also worth mentioning that when it comes to supplements, some swear by them, some swear about them!

For the most part, these ones claim to require a healthy diet and regular exercise to work properly, so it’s hard to say for sure how effective they are actually being.